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  • The Safety Net That Became the Steering Wheel

    The Safety Net That Became the Steering Wheel
    2026/03/24
    “Policies built for emergencies rarely stay temporary.” In this solo episode of Farming on Purpose, I continue the conversation about resource allocation in agriculture — but this time through the lens of policy, infrastructure, and the decisions that quietly shaped modern farming. Most farmers today operate within a system that was built long before they ever planted their first crop. Grain elevators, crop insurance programs, futures markets, rail systems, and federal farm programs all grew out of a moment of crisis during the Great Depression. What started as an emergency response to collapsing farm prices eventually became the framework that now guides much of modern agricultural production. In this episode, I walk through how government involvement in agriculture began in the 1930s, how the Agricultural Adjustment Act reshaped production decisions, and how the infrastructure that followed reinforced those choices for generations. This conversation isn’t about criticizing the system — the policies created during that era helped stabilize agriculture and protect the country’s food supply. But it is worth asking how those policies continue influencing the crops we grow, the risks farmers take, and the structure of rural communities today. If you’ve ever wondered why corn and soybeans dominate so much of the agricultural landscape — or why switching crops isn’t nearly as simple as people often assume — this episode helps explain the deeper story behind it. Key Topics Why the U.S. government first intervened in agriculture during the Great Depression How the Agricultural Adjustment Act reshaped crop production and market stability Why Title I commodity crops (corn, soybeans, wheat, cotton, rice, and peanuts) became the backbone of federal policy How infrastructure — grain elevators, rail systems, ethanol plants, and futures markets — reinforced those crops over time The role crop insurance and federal programs play in reducing risk for producers Why diversification is harder today than it was historically How agricultural consolidation has changed rural communities The difference between feeding people directly and supporting global food systems through commodity production Why simply telling farmers to “grow something else” ignores the infrastructurerequiredto support new crops The tension between stability and flexibility in modern agricultural systems Reflection Questions from This Episode This episode closes with questions designed to help producers think more deeply about the systems they operate within: If the system we farm in today was built during a crisisnearly 100years ago, how might that influence the choices we see as “normal”? What risks does our current system reduce — and what kinds of flexibility might it limit? If diversification were possible in your region, what infrastructure would need to exist first? Are our current production systemsoptimizingstability, efficiency, or resilience? What role should policy play in shaping agricultural production in the future? If the goal is both global food reliability and strong rural communities, how might those priorities be balanced? What conversations should agriculture be having now about the next generation of policy and infrastructure? Links Referenced in This Episode FRASER wholesale price data https://fraser.stlouisfed.org/files/docs/publications/SCB/pages/1935-1939/2755_1935-1939.pdf CBO crop insurance subsidy https://www.cbo.gov/budget-options/60893 GAO crop insurance https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-23-106228 USDA soybean use https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/coexistence-soybeans-factsheet.pdf MSU soybean use https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/where_do_all_these_soybeans_go MSU trypsin inhibitor https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/hidden-variable-in-soybean-meal-trypsin-inhibitors-and-swine-growth Journal of Animal Science https://academic.oup.com/jas/article/doi/10.1093/jas/skaf253/8234085 USDA ERS corn overview https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/crops/corn-and-other-feed-grains/feed-grains-sector-at-a-glance USDA ERS ethanol use https://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/pub-details?pubid=105761 AHA advisory https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/cir.0000000000000510 Linoleic acid review https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22889633 JAMA plant oils study https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/article-abstract/2831265 Johns Hopkins explainer https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2025/the-evidence-behind-seed-oils-health-effects Alternative PUFA interpretation https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5437600 LINKS Learn more about Outlaw Ranch Care and the Country Living Academy: https://outlawranchcare.com Listeners of the Farming on Purpose Podcast can also receive a 50% off for the annual membership using the special code FP50. Sign up for the 8-Hour Marketing Plan here! ...
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    41 分
  • Making Farming and Ranching Accessible for First-Time Landowners

    Making Farming and Ranching Accessible for First-Time Landowners
    2026/03/17
    “People really want the agricultural life. They want to learn how to do it right—they just need someone willing to show them.” In this episode of Farming on Purpose, I sit down with Frank Baggiolini, asset manager and content creator for Outlaw Ranch Care, to talk about a growing shift in rural America: the rise of first-time landowners and the opportunity agriculture has to welcome them. Frank grew up surrounded by agriculture in California, raising registered Polled Herefords through youth projects while his family farmed vegetables in the Salinas Valley. Over the years, his career took him across several corners of the industry—from dairy work and orchard removal to managing equipment operations for large pistachio and almond farms. Today, that experience has come full circle. Through Outlaw Ranch Care and their Country Living Academy, Frank and his partners help new rural landowners learn the practical skills needed to manage their land, care for livestock, operate equipment, and build productive properties. We talk about the reality many new landowners face when they purchase rural property with big dreams but little experience. Frank shares how simple knowledge gaps—from backing a trailer to managing pasture weeds—can quickly become overwhelming without guidance. We also discuss the bigger picture for agriculture. While the rise of small acreage properties can sometimes create tension within traditional ag communities, Frank believes helping new landowners become responsible stewards of the land ultimately strengthens agriculture as a whole. This episode is a great listen for producers, first-time landowners, homesteaders, and anyone thinking about buying rural property and learning how to care for it well. Key Topics Growing up in California agriculture raising Polled Herefords and row crops · How Frank’s career moved through multiple sectors of agriculture · The story behind starting Outlaw Ranch Care · Why many first-time landowners struggle after purchasing rural property · Teaching practical ranch skills through the Country Living Academy · Common mistakes new landowners make when buying tractors and equipment · Documenting the process of building and restoring a small ranch property · The debate around small acreage “ranchettes” and land stewardship · Why helping new landowners succeed can benefit the future of agriculture · How small producers can still contribute to the broader cattle industry LINKS Learn more about Outlaw Ranch Care and the Country Living Academy: https://outlawranchcare.com Listeners of the Farming on Purpose Podcast can also receive a 50% off for the annual membership using the special code FP50. Sign up for the 8-Hour Marketing Plan here! Marketing Routine class, do so here! Join the Farming On Purpose Facebook group and visit the Farming on Purpose merch page. Check out our favorite software tool for online sales: Thrivecart I may earn affiliate commissions from links on this page. Other Episodes You May Enjoy Episode #127: Why Farm Succession Planning Can’t Wait A conversation about the urgency of farm and ranch succession planning and what happens when the next generation isn’t prepared to take over. This episode explores the scale of land expected to transition in the coming decades and why preparing the next generation of agricultural leaders matters more than ever. Episode #125: Raising More Than Livestock: Building a Multi-Generation Direct-to-Consumer Farm Business Nola and Mikaela Schultz share how they built Schultz Country Market and created a direct-to-consumer meat business that supports both their family and their farm. Episode #73: Income Streams, Marketing Beef, and Taking the Leap with Rancher Jess Jess Perez shares how she built a cow-calf operation while selling beef directly to consumers and building a digital audience. About the Host of Farming On Purpose, Lexi Wright: I’m your host, Lexi Wright. I started the Farming on Purpose Podcast from a passion for sharing the future of production agriculture. Connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.
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    37 分
  • How Local Farmers Are Reaching Customers Beyond the Farmers Market

    How Local Farmers Are Reaching Customers Beyond the Farmers Market
    2026/03/10
    “Farmers markets are great — but they’re a narrow pipe between farmers and consumers.” In this episode of Farming on Purpose, I sit down with Dan Brunner, founder of Market Wagon, to talk about one of the biggest challenges in local food systems: distribution. Dan comes from a background in software and logistics, but his interest in food systems goes back decades. Long before grocery delivery was common, he believed consumers would eventually buy more of their food online. When he met a farmer who shared a similar vision, they partnered to launch Market Wagon in 2017 — a platform designed to connect local farmers and food producers directly with consumers through an online marketplace and delivery network. We talk about the hidden complexity of the modern grocery supply chain, why farmers markets alone can’t scale access to local food, and how Market Wagon is widening the connection between producers and consumers. Dan also shares how the company grew from a single city to serving dozens of regional markets, what the COVID grocery shift revealed about consumer behavior, and why transparency around food production is becoming increasingly important. This episode is a great listen for producers interested in expanding direct-to-consumer sales, farmers navigating multiple marketing channels, and anyone curious about how local food systems are evolving in the digital age. Key Topics: The logistics problems inside the modern grocery supply chain Why farmers markets represent only a small slice of food distribution How Market Wagon connects producers and consumers through weekly delivery hubs The two-sided challenge of building a marketplace for both farmers and shoppers How COVID accelerated online grocery adoption and local food interest Inventory management and pricing for farmers selling through the platform The role of transparency in helping consumers understand how food is produced Why product diversity actually benefits farmers in a shared marketplace What producers should know before joining Market Wagon LINKS Learn more about Market Wagon: https://www.marketwagon.com Sign up for the 8-Hour Marketing Plan here! Marketing Routine class, do so here! Join the Farming On Purpose Facebook group and visit the Farming on Purpose merch page. Check out our favorite software tool for online sales: Thrivecart I may earn affiliate commissions from links on this page. Other Episodes You May Enjoy: Episode #125: Raising More Than Livestock: Building a Multi-Generation Direct-to-Consumer Farm Business – A conversation with Nola and Mikaela Schultz about building Schultz Country Market and selling farm products directly to customers. This episode dives into pricing, processing challenges, marketing meat, and what it takes to grow a farm business that supports both the family and the land. Episode #73: Income Streams, Marketing Beef, and Taking the Leap with Rancher Jess – Jess Perez shares how she returned to agriculture and built a cow-calf operation while selling beef directly to consumers. This episode explores online storytelling, building an audience, and creating multiple income streams in agriculture. Episode #74: Capturing Profit from Heifers with Direct-to-Consumer Beef with Amanda of 2383 Farms – Amanda shares how she found her place in a multi-generation cow-calf operation and started selling beef directly to customers. The conversation covers diversification, building new revenue streams, and the real financial considerations behind direct-to-consumer agriculture. About the Host of Farming On Purpose, Lexi Wright: I’m your host, Lexi Wright. I started the Farming on Purpose Podcast from a passion for sharing the future of production agriculture. Connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.
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    33 分
  • Resource Allocation Through the Eras — What Agriculture’s Past Reveals About Our Future

    Resource Allocation Through the Eras — What Agriculture’s Past Reveals About Our Future
    2026/03/03
    “Every generation of farmers has asked the same question: What do we do with what we have?” In this solo episode of Farming on Purpose, I take a deep dive into the history of agriculture — not just as a timeline of events, but as a story of resource allocation. From subsistence survival to the Homestead expansion, through industrialization, the Green Revolution, the 1980s farm crisis, and into today’s era of transition and generational transfer, one theme remains constant: producers must decide how to allocate what is scarce. In earlier eras, it was labor. Then land. Then machinery. Then knowledge. Then capital. Today? It may be energy, leadership, and continuity. This episode explores how global events reshaped agriculture in 20-year spans — and why the next 20 years may change more than we realize as 70% of U.S. farmland is expected to change hands. If you are thinking about transition, sustainability, leadership, or simply trying to build something that lasts — this episode will challenge how you think about your operation. Key Topics: The Subsistence & Survival Era: Farming when the margin for error was zero · The Homestead Era: Expansion, ownership, and the belief that growth meant opportunity · Industrialization: Tractors, mechanization, and managing debt as a new resource · The Green Revolution: Science, yield, and knowledge replacing land as the growth engine · The 1980s Farm Crisis: Debt, collapse, and the emotional toll rarely discussed · How farm size grew 200% while the farm population fell 97% · Why local food sales increased 140% before 2020 · The largest generational land transfer in U.S. history happening right now · Why management — not land — may be the true limiting factor today · Sustainability as personal, financial, and generational — not just environmental Reflection Questions from This Episode: This episode closes with practical questions every producer should consider: Where is my energy actually going? What resources am I protecting — and which ones am I spending without realizing it? What am I doing out of habit instead of intention? If I stepped away for six months, what would break? What problem is my operation actually solving? Am I allocating resources reactively or strategically? Am I building something transferable — or something only I can carry? What resource will matter most in the next 20 years? What does sustainability really mean in my context? Who needs to be part of these conversations before they become urgent? LINKS Sign up for the 8-Hour Marketing Plan here! Marketing Routine class, do so here! Join the Farming On Purpose Facebook group and visit the Farming on Purpose merch page. Check out our favorite software tool for online sales: Thrivecart I may earn affiliate commissions from links on this page. Other Episodes You May Enjoy: Farm Succession Planning: Securing Your Family’s Legacy – A practical conversation about transition planning, family communication, and protecting the long-term future of your operation. A strong follow-up to Jace’s insights on decentralized leadership and building a farm that outlasts one generation. Listen: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-87-farm-succession-planning-securing-your/id1652386715 Marriage, Parenthood & Building a Business – An honest look at building a growing business while raising a family. This episode pairs well with Jace’s discussion on leadership, structure, and creating a business that supports your life instead of consuming it. Listen: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/marriage-parenthood-building-a-business/id1652386715 Year-End Tax Planning and Financial Confidence on the Farm – A finance-focused episode covering taxes, recordkeeping, and strategic cash flow planning. Perfect for listeners who want to go deeper after hearing Jace explain why monthly financial clarity matters. Listen: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/year-end-tax-planning-and-financial-confidence/id1652386715 About the Host of Farming On Purpose, Lexi Wright: I’m your host, Lexi Wright. I started the Farming on Purpose Podcast from a passion for sharing the future of production agriculture. Connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.
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    46 分
  • Stop Hoping. Start Knowing: A New Standard for Farm Finances

    Stop Hoping. Start Knowing: A New Standard for Farm Finances
    2026/02/24
    “You don’t know what you don’t know — and that’s what keeps people up at night.” In this episode of Farming on Purpose, I sit down with Jace Young, founder and CEO of Legacy Farmer, to talk about the financial side of agriculture that most producers avoid — until they can’t. Jace grew up on a multi-million-dollar Kansas farm that ultimately went bankrupt. Years later, working in ag banking — including at the same banks his family once approached — he gained access to the financial documentation behind the collapse. What he discovered changed the direction of his life. We talk about centralized leadership, pride, emotional decision-making, and why updating your numbers once a year isn’t enough. Jace shares what he sees inside banks today, how loan committees actually think, and why producers who understand their balance sheets have leverage most others don’t. This episode is a must-listen for producers stepping into leadership roles, families navigating transition, and anyone who wants to build a farm business that outlasts one generation. Key Topics: Growing up inside a 14,000-head feedyard and watching it go bankrupt What ag banking revealed about financial blind spots in farm businesses Centralized vs. decentralized leadership in agriculture Why updating financials monthly changes everything How to build trust (and leverage) with your banker Farm debt trends and what tightening credit could mean for 2026 Why service-based businesses create stability alongside production agriculture Exposing financial weaknesses without destroying family relationships Transition planning through transparency, not secrecy LINKS Learn more about Legacy Farmer: https://www.legacyfarmer.com Sign up for the 8-Hour Marketing Plan here! Marketing Routine class, do so here! Join the Farming On Purpose Facebook group and visit the Farming on Purpose merch page. Check out our favorite software tool for online sales: Thrivecart I may earn affiliate commissions from links on this page. Other Episodes You May Enjoy: Farm Succession Planning: Securing Your Family’s Legacy – A practical conversation about transition planning, family communication, and protecting the long-term future of your operation. A strong follow-up to Jace’s insights on decentralized leadership and building a farm that outlasts one generation. Listen: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-87-farm-succession-planning-securing-your/id1652386715 Marriage, Parenthood & Building a Business – An honest look at building a growing business while raising a family. This episode pairs well with Jace’s discussion on leadership, structure, and creating a business that supports your life instead of consuming it. Listen: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/marriage-parenthood-building-a-business/id1652386715 Year-End Tax Planning and Financial Confidence on the Farm – A finance-focused episode covering taxes, recordkeeping, and strategic cash flow planning. Perfect for listeners who want to go deeper after hearing Jace explain why monthly financial clarity matters. Listen: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/year-end-tax-planning-and-financial-confidence/id1652386715 About the Host of Farming On Purpose, Lexi Wright: I’m your host, Lexi Wright. I started the Farming on Purpose Podcast from a passion for sharing the future of production agriculture. Connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.
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    52 分
  • From One Cow to a Full-Time Farm: Building a First-Generation Farm with Intention

    From One Cow to a Full-Time Farm: Building a First-Generation Farm with Intention
    2026/02/17

    “You’re going to make mistakes — and then you’re going to learn from those mistakes.”

    In this episode of Farming on Purpose, I sit down with Hayley Darnielle, owner of Crooked Creek Farms in Montana, to talk about building a diversified, direct-to-consumer farm business from the ground up.

    What started as a simple Facebook page and one milk cow has grown into a full-time operation providing raw milk, pork, poultry, eggs, and more to local families. Hayley shares what it’s really like to be a first-generation farmer, how Montana’s Food Freedom Act shaped her business, and why responsibility, transparency, and boundaries matter just as much as growth.

    This conversation explores diversification with intention, navigating customer relationships, using grants to fuel growth, and building a farm that supports both family life and long-term sustainability.

    Key Topics:

    • Starting a farm business without growing up in agriculture
    • How Montana’s Food Freedom Act opened the door for direct-to-consumer sales
    • Diversifying livestock with purpose and limited acreage
    • Balancing motherhood, farm work, and business growth
    • Learning through trial, error, and knowing when to scale back
    • Building infrastructure as a first-generation producer
    • Navigating customer expectations and setting boundaries
    • Using the USDA Value-Added Producer Grant to accelerate growth
    • Growing two farm operations side by side

    LINKS

    Follow Crooked Creek Farms and learn more about Hayley’s operation: https://www.crookedcreekfarmsmt.com

    Follow Crooked Creek Farms on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok: Crooked Creek Farms MT

    Sign up for the 8-Hour Marketing Plan here!

    Marketing Routine class, do so here!

    Join the Farming On Purpose Facebook group and visit the Farming on Purpose merch page.

    Check out our favorite software tool for online sales: Thrivecart

    I may earn affiliate commissions from links on this page.

    Other Episodes You May Enjoy

    #122: How Agritourism Is Transforming Farming – A look at how opening the farm to the public through agritourism can create new income streams, strengthen community trust, and support long-term farm sustainability.

    #125: Raising More Than Livestock: Building a Multi-Generation Direct-to-Consumer Farm Business – An honest conversation about diversification, family roles, and building a direct-to-consumer business that supports both the farm and the people behind it.

    #76: Ag Entrepreneurship & Conviction in Fighting for the Family Farm with Amanda Radke – A conversation about purpose, priorities, entrepreneurship, and building income beyond tradition while staying rooted in agriculture.

    About the Host of Farming On Purpose, Lexi Wright:

    I’m your host, Lexi Wright. I started the Farming on Purpose Podcast from a passion for sharing the future of production agriculture.

    Connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.

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    43 分
  • Milking More Than Cows: Diversifying the Farm Through Storytelling, Farm Camp, and Purpose

    Milking More Than Cows: Diversifying the Farm Through Storytelling, Farm Camp, and Purpose
    2026/02/10

    “You don’t have to have a perfect farm — you just have to open the gate.”

    In this episode of Farming on Purpose, I sit down with Megan Daluge, a fifth-generation Wisconsin dairy farmer and co-founder of Milk’n Mamas, to talk about what diversification really looks like when you’re committed to keeping the dairy — and the family — at the center.

    Megan shares how she and her sister navigated family transition, industry pressure, and a tough dairy economy by building multiple income streams alongside their 100-cow dairy. From launching farm camps and agritourism to running a women’s boutique and coaching farmers on social media storytelling, this conversation is an honest look at resilience, creativity, and evolving with purpose.

    This episode is a must-listen for farmers, ranchers, and ag entrepreneurs who feel pulled in more than one direction — and want permission to try something new without losing what matters most.

    Key Topics:

    • Navigating family transition on a multi-generation dairy farm
    • Knowing when “enough cows” is enough
    • Launching farm camp and agritourism with minimal overhead
    • Overcoming fear around opening the farm to the public
    • Diversifying income without abandoning production agriculture
    • Using social media to tell your farm story without burnout
    • Setting boundaries, handling criticism, and staying authentic online
    • Embracing failure, pivots, and being multi-passionate in agriculture

    LINKS

    Follow Milk’n Mamas on Instagram: @milknmamas Find Daluge Farm on Facebook Follow Milk’n Mamas on TikTok

    Sign up for the 8-Hour Marketing Plan here!

    Marketing Routine class, do so here!

    Join the Farming On Purpose Facebook group and visit the Farming on Purpose merch page.

    Check out our favorite software tool for online sales: Thrivecart

    I may earn affiliate commissions from links on this page.

    Other Episodes You May Enjoy

    #122: How Agritourism Is Transforming Farming – A look at how opening the farm to the public through agritourism can create new income streams, strengthen community trust, and support long-term farm sustainability.

    #125: Raising More Than Livestock: Building a Multi-Generation Direct-to-Consumer Farm Business – An honest conversation about diversification, family roles, and building a direct-to-consumer business that supports both the farm and the people behind it.

    #76: Ag Entrepreneurship & Conviction in Fighting for the Family Farm with Amanda Radke – A conversation about purpose, priorities, entrepreneurship, and building income beyond tradition while staying rooted in agriculture.

    About the Host of Farming On Purpose, Lexi Wright:

    I’m your host, Lexi Wright. I started the Farming on Purpose Podcast from a passion for sharing the future of production agriculture.

    Connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.

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    36 分
  • Why Farm Succession Planning Can’t Wait: Conversations, Control, and the Future of Our Land

    Why Farm Succession Planning Can’t Wait: Conversations, Control, and the Future of Our Land
    2026/02/03

    “If you don’t start early enough to make a plan, it never takes care of itself.”

    In this episode of Farming on Purpose, I sit down with Heidi Olson, certified farm succession planner and founder of Pathfinder Legacy Advisor, LLC, to talk about why succession planning is about far more than paperwork—and why waiting too long puts both farm families and farmland at risk.

    Heidi brings decades of experience in banking, wealth management, trusts, and estate planning, along with firsthand experience navigating succession planning within her own family. We talk through how to start difficult conversations, why communication breakdowns are often the biggest obstacle, and what farm families of every size should be thinking about now as millions of acres of farmland prepare to change hands.

    Key Topics:

    • Why farm succession planning can’t be postponed
    • The risks of waiting too long to start the conversation
    • How to structure productive family meetings
    • Why succession planning is operational—not just legal
    • Managing control and change across generations
    • Communication challenges inside family-run operations
    • Succession planning for small, part-time, or diversified farms
    • What to look for in a qualified farm succession planner
    • Preparing the next generation without forcing outcomes

    You can learn more about Heidi and her work at pathfinderlegacy.com, or reach out directly at heidi@pathfinderlegacy.com. Heidi also hosts the Pathfinder Legacy Podcast, which is linked on her website.

    LINKS

    Sign up for the 8-Hour Marketing Plan here!

    Marketing Routine class, do so here!

    Join the Farming On Purpose Facebook group and visit the Farming on Purpose merch page.

    Check out our favorite software tool for online sales: Thrivecart

    I may earn affiliate commissions from links on this page.

    Other Episodes You May Enjoy:

    Episode 87: Farm Succession Planning: Securing Your Family's Legacy

    Episode 8: Shifting Seasons in Motherhood and Ranching with Richelle Barrett

    Episode 19: Homesteading Skills with a Farm Family with 14 Hands Ranch

    About the Host of Farming On Purpose, Lexi Wright:

    I’m your host, Lexi Wright. I started the Farming on Purpose Podcast from a passion for sharing the future of production agriculture.

    Connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.

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    40 分